The CAM-ICU-7 Delirium Severity Scale: A Novel Delirium Severity Instrument for Use in the ICU
The CAM-ICU-7 delirium severity scale is a valid, reliable, and practical delirium severity measure among ICU patients that can be easily calculated and is associated with meaningful clinical outcomes. This practical tool... read more
Sleep Deprived-Patients in ICU May Fail to Get Off Ventilation
Attempts to wean intubated, critically ill patients off mechanical ventilators were less successful when the patients exhibited atypical sleep or pathological wakefulness, researchers reported. The findings suggest that sleep... read more
Effect of Titrating PEEP with Esophageal Pressure-Guided Strategy vs Empirical High PEEP-Fio2 Strategy on Death and Days Free From Mechanical Ventilation Among Patients With ARDS
Among patients with moderate to severe Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS), PES-guided positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP), compared with empirical high PEEP-Fio2, resulted in no significant difference in death... read more
Incident Diabetes in Survivors of Critical Illness and Mechanisms Underlying Persistent Glucose Intolerance
Diabetes and pre-diabetes occur frequently in survivors of ICU experiencing stress hyperglycemia. Based on the occurrence rate observed in this cohort, structured screening and intervention programs appear warranted. Consent... read more
I Spent 4 Weeks Near Death In The ICU
I spent 4 weeks near death in the ICU. Here's what I learned struggling for my life. My mind and body had to relearn everything: how to brush my hair, put on socks and take a sit-down shower. Although it was frustrating to... read more
Choice of Catheter Size for Infants in Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy
Small size central vascular catheters display optimal rheologic performances in terms of pressures and flows particularly when the renal replacement therapy (RRT) device is equipped with pumps proportional to central vascular... read more
Guidelines for the Management of Pediatric Severe Traumatic Brain Injury
Update of the Brain Trauma Foundation Guidelines, Third Edition. Severe Traumatic Brain Injury in Infants, Children, and Adolescents in 2019: Some Overdue Progress, Many Remaining Questions, and Exciting Ongoing Work in the... read more
ECMO in the Critical Trauma Patient
Growing evidence suggests the potential use of Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) for the treatment of refractory respiratory failure in adults, but the clinical benefit in polytraumatic patients is not clear. The... read more
Electronic Hand Hygiene System Fails to Improve Staff Satisfaction in ICU
A study published in Antimicrobial Resistance & Infection Control examined the effect of introducing an electronic hand hygiene surveillance and intervention system into an ICU. Researchers introduced the system into a general... read more
How Artificial Intelligence Can Make Healthcare Human Again
Medicine has become inhuman, to disastrous effect. The doctor-patient relationship, the heart of medicine, is broken: doctors are too distracted and overwhelmed to truly connect with their patients, and medical errors and... read more
Potassium Homoeostasis and Pathophysiology of Hyperkalaemia
Since determination of potassium levels may be afflicted with various errors, potassium levels should be determined using a standardized set-up ensuring high accuracy and precision of measurements. Potassium levels may be... read more
Appropriate Treatment for Bloodstream Infections Due to Carbapenem-Resistant Klebsiella Pneumoniae and Escherichia Coli
Tigecycline monotherapy was a choice if the strains exhibited MIC ≤0.5 mg/L, and colistin monotherapy was not suitable. Our findings can initiate additional clinical studies regarding the efficacy of tigecycline in carbapenem-resistant... read more
Annals of B-Pod: Neurogenic Shock
Shock is defined as the failure of circulation to provide adequate oxygenation to meet cellular demand. To better identify and manage this compromised physiologic state, shock is subcategorized into four... read more
Even Proper Technique Exposes Nurses’ Spines To Dangerous Forces
In this close-up screenshot from a simulation video, you can see the exact moment NPR correspondent Daniel Zwerdling endured dangerous levels of stress on his spine while re-creating the way nurses push their patients in... read more
Effect of Occupancy on Critically Ill Admissions
Effect of Emergency Department and ICU Occupancy on Admission Decisions and Outcomes for Critically Ill Patients. The volume of ICU admissions from the ED has increased around 50% from 2001-2009. Hospitals struggle with this... read more
Can Noninvasive BP Monitoring Replace Arterial Catheter?
Although its reliability is often questioned, noninvasive blood pressure (NIBP) monitoring with an oscillometric arm cuff is widely used. Indeed, intermittent arm NIBP is the first-line monitoring technique during prehospital... read more
Complications of Regional Citrate Anticoagulation: Accumulation or Overload?
Based on recent recommendations, the use of Regional Citrate Anticoagulation (RCA) is likely to increase dramatically throughout the world. RCA protocols should aim to minimize the amount of net citrate load delivered to... read more
Considerations in the Diagnosis of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis
The clinical practice guideline on diagnosis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) by Raghu and colleagues has been helpful in addressing the complexities of radiological and pathological features in diagnosing IPF. The... read more
ICU Admissions Raise Chronic Condition Risk
A new study of ICU patients in the Netherlands shows a heightened risk of developing new chronic conditions in patients after an intensive care stay. The research showed rising likelihood of conditions such as depression,... read more
Mythbuster: Administration of Vasopressors Through Peripheral Intravenous Access
Vasopressors are frequently used in critically ill patients with hemodynamic instability both in the emergency department (ED) as well as intensive care units (ICUs). Typically, vasopressors are given through central venous... read more
Caring for Critically Ill Patients in Humanitarian Settings
Critical care medicine is far from the first medical field to come to mind when humanitarian action is mentioned, yet both critical care and humanitarian action share a fundamental purpose to save the lives and ease the suffering... read more
Procalcitonin Reduces Antibiotic Use with No Negative Outcomes
The elderly patient presenting to the ED with nonspecific symptoms remains a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. Often, these patients arrive with general complaints ranging from altered mental status to weakness, subjective... read more
